Despite a high level of risk factors such as cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension and a high intake of saturated fat, French males display the lowest mortality rate from ischaemic heart disease and cardiovascular diseases in Western industrialized nations (36% lower than the USA and 39% lower than the UK). The so-called ‘French Paradox’ (a low mortality rate specifically from cardiovascular diseases) may be due mainly to the regular consumption of wine (Renaud, S. et al. (1998) Novartis Found. Symp. 216:208-222, 152-158).
Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound found, for example in grape skins, that has been demonstrated to have beneficial properties relating to health of humans. In particular, resveratrol is believed to be beneficial to the functioning of the heart and in extending the life of human cells. Resveratrol, when used in dietary supplements, is generally produced as an alcohol extract from plant sources.
Calorie restricted diets have been shown to enhance survival and longevity by up-regulating survival/longevity genes or down-regulating genes whose expression enhances cellular damage. Mice have been used extensively as a model for genetic expression comparisons with humans. Without limitation, the validity of murine models to human gene expression reflects the fact that 98% of human and murine gene are homologous, and that mice and humans have about the same number of genes (e.g., approximately 30,000).
Despite the established benefits of a calorie restricted diet, the severity of the required dietary regime has limited adoption of this approach to increasing longevity. It would therefore be desirable to provide an alternative route to obtaining the benefits of calorie restriction that would avoid the need for dietary regulation and that would be amenable to widespread adoption. The present embodiments are directed to this and other needs.